Blogging since 2006 ~ Formerly known as Stamping Therapy

Friday, November 14, 2008

Baby Cards


Saving even the smallest scraps of DP can be useful for paper piecing!

Stamps: Baby Firsts, Celebrate Everything, Mini Mates (baby sentiment)
Paper: pretty in pink, pretty in pink DSP, white, basic black
Ink: black
Accessories: Taffeta ribbon, pepr piercer & mat stack, black marker
Techniques:
paper piecing






The border was hand written. The belly, teddy bear, and the celery gift bag are all popped up on dimensionals.

Stamps: teddybella - stamping bella, sentiment - SU
Colors: pretty in pink, certainly celery, chocolate chip, white
Accessories: ribbon, brads, markers
Challenges: CC163, SC193









This card measures 4.25 square. I use 4.5 square A Muse envelopes.

Stamps: Bundle of Joy, Dilly Dally Baby wheel, Short & Sweet
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, bashfulblue, white
Ink: black, chocolate chip, bashful blue
Accessories: oval punch, brad, WW crayons, eyelets, gingham ribbon, CM custom cutting system, scallop scissors, paper piercer & mat stack, chocolate marker
Techniques:
sponging, faux stitching
Challenges: Beate's WSC17



I prefer to make pink or blue baby cards when attending showers, but many moms want to be surprised!!! So, I went with the traditional neutral yellow and green :)

Stamps: Wild About You, Mini Mates
Paper: so saffron, certainly celery, white
Ink: so saffron, brown
Accessories: ribbon, SAB SS kit

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Missing you, Grandpa

I actually made this card a couple of years ago for my DH when he was out of town for business. He said he would be honored to "present" it to Grandpa.


It's been 9 months and 5 days since Grandpa passed away. Today would have been Grandpa's 89th birthday.

I loved Grandpa and all the unique characteristics and habits that made him special. His favorite saying was, "The first hundred years are the toughest." Grandpa loved to whistle, watch baseball on TV and chant tongue twisters. He gave hugs that were a little strong. LOL! He LOVED the Muppet Show and Kermit the Frog. I'm regretful that I didn't speak at his memorial service the day before he was buried. My mind was blank when I had so much to say. I called Grandma today. She has been so very strong and she was more worried about me than herself.

Stamps: All About U, Houndstooth, Fantastic Foliage
Paper: chocolate chip, mellow moss, more mustard, white
Accessories: paper piercer & mat stack, ribbon, hemp

Birthday Cards


In honor of my grandpa's birthday, I thought I would post a couple of birthday cards.

I made this first one for my brother. My 8 year old nephew just gushed over how cool it was. He's a keeper. :)

I sponged the baseball and the edges of the card because players are always dusty or dirty after a game. This topper fits in a standard A2 envelope. I started with a 4.25 square card and then positioned the topper to fit in the envelope.

Stamps: Sporting Goods, Hugs & Wishes
Paper: real red, buckaroo blue, white
Ink: black, real red, buckaroo blue, chocolate chip
Accessories: markers, CM custom cutting system, ribbon




This chocolaty birthday card was made using an old SCS sketch challenge.

Stamps: Eat Cake, Snow Flurries, Pure & Simple Alphabet
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, very vanilla
Ink: chocolate chip, close to cocoa, creamy caramel, more mustard
Accessories: ribbon, ticket corner punch, paper piercer, markers, square punches

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

43 Days Until Christmas!


House Mouse Gingerbread House


Stamps: House Mouse
Paper: real red, white, garden green
Ink: black
Accessories: ribbon, dimensionals, Copic markers, CM square makers, Nestie scallop (from Wish RAK)
Challenge: SC202






Wish RAK Featured Stamper: Studbo

Here's Linda's beautiful card.

Stamps: Santa - TAC
Paper: wild wasabi. certainly celery, real red, white, DP unknown
Ink: black
Accessories: white gel pen, Copic markers, wide oval punch, Marvy scallop oval punch, ribbon, dimensionals

Encouragement Cards

This was for a young lady who was dancing in her last dance recitals last June. She performed her senior solo dance. I am so proud of her! Now she's off to a prestigious engineering college with a double major. She has big dreams and I'm confident she will achieve them one step at a time.

Stamps: Happy Harmony
Paper: white, close to cocoa, bashful blue, bashful blue DSP
Ink: bashful blue, certainly celery, close to cocoa
Accessories: ribbon, markers, paper piercer & mat stack
Challenge: SC181





Good luck cards are needed year round, not just for St. Patrick's Day! I like the clovers with the autumn colors.

Stamps: shamrock bouquet - Sparkle & Sprinkle, Priceless - SU, sentiment - ?
Paper: really rust, certainly celery, chocolate chip, very vanilla
Ink: brown stazon, certainly celery, chocolate chip
Accessories: SU markers, Hodgepodge hardware, ribbon, Marvy scallop punch, CN custom cutting system, paper piercer
Techniques: faux stitching, sponging






Some times people just need a hug, even when it's being sent states away.

Stamps: Send a Celebrations, Fancy Flexible Phrases, Cheesecloth, Because of You
Paper: chocolate chip, blush blossom, cool caribbean & retired DP, white
Ink: brown stazon, cool caribbean
Accessories: WW crayons, caribbean reinker, ribbon
Techniques:
faux chipboard button

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day

This Veteran's Day is more meaningful to me than past years. It's a day to remember not only all who have served our country and have since passed away. It's a day to remember my grandpa. My grandpa was the only grandpa I knew. He was fun, lovable, and unique. I remember his whistling. I remember his tongue twisters. (I wish I could remember the one about the Polly's pink plastic pills that cures everything... one he used when we were sad over something silly like not being first. LOL!) I remember his hats. My DS was the only great-grandchild he remembered in his later years. And he had a fascination with Grandpa's hats. I have a wonderful scrapbook page, but I don't think it was ever photographed. Grandpa loved to talk about his war days. He worked with a priest. From what I can remember, they were on and off the battle fields. I was young and wish I had journals to read. What I remember most was the food and the meticulous way they had to pack their uniforms. Guess what? That's now how I pack my suitcases. And if I'm careful, I have no wrinkles!!!






It's a sad day. It's a day for tears. It's a day for remembering. With myself. I know Mom and Grandma went to a special service. I was busy with DS. He had a medical emergency. But I'm not sure I could have handled it. I remember being numb for awhile after he passed. I didn't cry until I heard Taps. Now I just want to cherish the memories.









So today, I chose to psot some sympathy cards I've made in the past. I seem to use light blue on most of my sympathy cards. It seems soothing to me.

This Thursday would have been his 89th birthday. I will post something more festive to celebrate him on that day.

Monday, November 10, 2008

My #1 Man

I am remarried to the most giving and caring man. We have our moments of disagreements and communication misunderstandings, but we still love and respect each other at the end of the day despite our disabilities... that honestly should be tearing us apart instead of keeping us together.

DH is a Browns fan since he grew up in the Cleveland area. He is teased on our family fantasy football league because he always comes in 2nd place. I made this card awhile ago in hopes of giving it to him at the end of this season. But I think I'll give it to him now. He is my number one, my champion, my hero. (Here on Earth... I'm not disrespecting God. Just thought I should say that! :)

Stamps: Pink Cat Studio - QT Hooty Owl, SU - Sporting Goods, Weathered
Paper: white, creamy caramel, close to cocoa, chocolate chip
Ink: black, creamy caramel, chocolate chip
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, circle punches & CM custom cutting system, dimensionals
Techniques: sponging

45 days until Christmas


Splitcoast SC195 was a fun sketch challenge! I know I'll be using it again.


TAC Stamp: Christmas Bear
SU Stamps: Canvas, The Snowflake Spot, Snow Swirled (All for the creamy caramel BG)
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, white, real red
Ink: black, close to cocoa, chocolate chip, creamy caramel
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, brad, snow blossom & circle punches, liquid applique, CB snowflakes








This holiday lineup is too funny! It's my favorite stamp in the set. This card uses Splitcoast's SC194.


Stamps: Holiday Lineup
Paper: real red, kiwi kiss, white, DP - DCWV
Ink: black
Accessories: Copic markers, kiwi satin ribbon,dimensionals

Something NEW and EXCITING

I was invited to a crop this past weekend by scrappintlc (Robin). I had so much fun! But here's the extra good stuff... I found out about a new online paper crafting site. I love it! Lots of splitcoasters are there already. You don't want to miss checking it out!

Paper Craft Planet - main page

Paper Craft Plant - my profile page
Click on the left side bar on the word "photos" to see my gallery.... or you can view a slide show of my cards at the bottom of my profile page. That slide show is a pretty cool feature!

1st Year Cheerleader

Here is the proof that I was actually at a crop! And I accomplished a double page spread and part of another with the help of CTMH level 1 kits. They are so awesome! I love making my own layouts, but I am so far behind that a little help is wonderful. Thank you, scrappintlc, for inviting me. I had a great time!!!



These pages are of my nieces. My 5 yr old niece started her first year of cheerleading this fall. She's too cute. My 18 month old niece wanted to be a cheerleader, too. She kept running up to them and clapping. It was hilarious. Then at my nephew's birthday party, both the girls showed off their talent. My precious 18 mo old niece is growing up too too fast.

Permission was given by my SIL to display these pages with her daughters.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

What do you think?




I sell most of the Christmas cards that I make. I've been trying to come up with something to mass produce with this set for my family and friends. The coloring is a little off, even with the editing. The colors are very vanilla, chocolate chip, creamy caramel, and red riding hood taffeta ribbon. The tree is "decorated" with diamond stickles. What do you think?

46 day until Christmas!


46 days until Christmas.... Is it too late to be good? I just had to have this stamp when I saw it in my LSS. They had just gotten them a few days ago and I got the last one! I hadn't even planned on stopping that day. Wow... was I lucky!

Stamps: Great Impressions
Paper: certainly celery, real red, white, DP (I think it's DCWV)
Ink: black
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, CM custom cutting system, Nestie scallop circle (from Wish RAK), dimensionals





Riley has his tree! Here at my house, we have the fake kind. The sketch is from Card Positioning Sysytem CPS74

Stamps: Carrying Tree Riley - Hanna Stamps
Paper: real red, chocolate chip, white, True Friend DP, real red DSP
Ink: black
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, dimensionals










Christmas can be interesting with a cat in the house! Thankfully, our cats just sniff the tree and sleep under it. Every once in awhile, I'll find an ornament in another part of the house. But the tree hasn't been climbed and tipped over... yet.

Stamps: Fluffles - Stampendous, sentiment - Inky Antics, Hung Up On the Holidays - SU
Paper: rose red, wild wasabi, always artichoke, white, DSP - wild wasabi & rose red
Ink: wild wasabi, rose red, summer sun, ballet blue, black
Accessories: Copic markers, rose red marker, rose red ribbon, Martha Stewart branch punch, large oval, designer label & circle punches, dimensionals
Challenge: SC195